Costa Rica: investors welcome?

FICEM-APCAC’s cement congress and exhibition is being held in San José, Costa Rica, between 3-5 September 2012. Costa Rica’s attractive location in Central America should see a busy event and ICR provides an outlook on the country’s cement industry.

Cemex’s Colorado de Abangares cement plant

Little is said in terms of the cement industry in this Central American country, but recent developments have been fairly traumatic with the loss of a cement producer and the slow development of infrastructure programmes.

Foreign investment in Costa Rica increased to a record US$2.1bn in 2011, according to a report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Chinese investment is strong in the country, whether it is in building national stadiums, oil refineries or cultural centres. Costa Rica is China’s second- largest trading partner in Central America.

Moreover, the governing National Liberation Party is keen to forge close ties with the Chinese and other foreign investors to help improve the country’s infrastructure and prosperity.

With a population of around 4m, approximately a quarter of the inhabitants live in and around the capital of San José. The majority of the population, some 69 per cent, is aged between 15-64, with just six per cent over 65. Annual population growth is 1.4 per cent.

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